2015 LEGISLATIVE REPORT EDUCATOR PREPARATION REPORT AY2013-2014
MARCH 2015
1560 Broadway, Suite 1600Denver, Colorado 80204(303) 866-2723
LT. GOVERNOR JOSEPH GARCIA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. OVERVIEW AND REPORT HIGHLIGHTS ……………………………………………....…….. 5
II. COMPLETERS …………………………………………………………………….……..... 6
III. ENROLLMENT …………………………………………………………………….………12
IV. DEMOGRAPHICS ………………………………………………………………….…………15
V. REAUTHORIZATION AND PROGRAMMATIC APPROVAL ………………………….…………..17
VI. AREAS OF FOCUS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ………………………………………….……..18
2 This report was prepared by the Student Services and Academic Affairs Division at the Colorado Department of Higher Education (DHE) pursuant to the requirements of §23-1-121(6) Colorado Revised Statutes.
For more information please contact:
Robert Mitchell, Academic Policy Officer for Educator Preparation, Colorado Department of Higher Education, 303-866-4468 or [email protected]
Commonly utilized acronyms in this report include:
General: CDE – Colorado Department of Education DHE – Colorado Department of Higher Education
Institutions of Higher Education (Public and Private): ASU – Adams State University CCU – Colorado Christian University CC – Colorado College CMU – Colorado Mesa University CSU – Colorado State University CSUP – Colorado State University Pueblo FLC – Fort Lewis College JIU – Jones International University MSUD – Metropolitan State University of Denver RU – Regis University RMCAD – Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design UCB – University of Colorado Boulder UCCS – University of Colorado Colorado Springs UCD – University of Colorado Denver DU – University of Denver UNC – University of Northern Colorado UP – University of Phoenix WSCU – Western State Colorado University
3 I. Overview and Report Summary
Introduction
Pursuant to §23-1-121(6) Colorado Revised Statutes, the Colorado Commission on Higher Education (CCHE) reports annually to the Education Committees of the General Assembly on enrollment in, graduation rates from, and effectiveness of the review of educator preparation programs at institutions of higher education, both public and private, and designated agencies. This report fulfills this statutory requirement.
This report was completed by a collaborative arrangement between the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) and the Colorado Department of Higher Education (DHE). Utilizing data submitted by the 18 institutions of higher education and the 22 designated agencies that provide alternative educator license pathways, a comprehensive view of the state of educator preparation in Colorado has been developed. Staff from both CDE and DHE compiled and analyzed available data contained within this document.
The report is divided into five primary sections: an analysis of completers of educator preparation programs, data related to student enrollment within IHEs offering educator preparation programs, details regarding the demographic composition of enrollment populations, a review of the reauthorization activities and alignment with national accreditation institutions regarding educator preparation and an evaluation of projected needs and trends impacting the development of educators throughout Colorado. The intent of this report is to provide a general understanding of the current state and future challenges and opportunities impacting educator preparation throughout Colorado.
Executive Summary
Several significant findings are described within the report. These findings include:
The total number of individuals completing an educator licensing and/or endorsement program at Colorado colleges/universities declined by 5.4% during the 2013-14 academic year. During this span, 2,704 individuals completed an approved educator preparation program at Colorado IHEs and 573 educators completed an alternative educator preparation program.
Enrollment in educator preparation programs declined by 7.8%, with significant declines in the endorsement/licensure areas of art (-14.5%), social studies (-12.7%) and early childhood education: special education specialist (-9.0%). These trends match national declines educator preparation enrollment.
The number of students completing programs leading to licensure as secondary math teachers increased by 30 (+40%) in 2013-14. Individuals completing principal licensure increased by 46 (20%) during the same time period.
Enrollment in educator preparation programs continues to be populated mainly by female candidates (75%) and white/non-Hispanic students (71%). In 2013-14, there was a minor increase in the number of students enrolled who self-identified as multi-racial (non-Hispanic).
4 II. Completers
Candidates who complete authorized programs are eligible for educator licensure in Colorado. While there is significant variance between program completion criteria at each individual educator preparation program, the commonalities across all programs include: the assurance that program completers are competent in their academic discipline; confirmation that program completers are knowledgeable and able to apply appropriate pedagogy within a variety of learning environments; and continued assurance that all individuals completing a program are aware and obligated to implement mandated state initiatives regarding educator effectiveness, Colorado Academic Standards and the demonstration of professional dispositions.
DHE and CDE continually review and examine these factors through periodic and regular programmatic review and review of inclusion of these factors within new and revised program proposals submitted by individual institutions of higher education.
Institution of Higher Education and Alternative Educator Preparation Program Completers
Educator preparation program completers originate from one of two conduits as they seek initial licensure within the state of Colorado. Institutions of higher education produced 82.5% of all educator preparation program completers in the 2013-14 academic year, with alternative educator preparation providers comprising the remaining 17.5%. Total numbers of completers is shown below in Figure 1.
573
IHEs Alternative
2704
Figure 1 - Total Completers AY 2013-14
In general, institutions of higher education produce emergent educators that seek employment following the completion of their individual program of study while, in contrast, alternative teacher preparation program candidates complete any required academic and professional preparation while in the employ of a designated school district or agency. A listing of the designated agencies approved by CDE to offer alternative
5 certification for educator preparation is included below in Table 1. In some instances, the designated agency is located and operated within an institution of higher education.
Table 1: Alternative Certification Educator Preparation Programs at Designated Agencies
Designated Agency Archdiocese of Denver Boulder Journey School Centennial BOCES Colorado Christian University Colorado State University Pueblo Denver Public Schools: Denver Teach Today Denver Public Schools: Denver Teacher Residency Douglas County School District Eagle Rock School and Professional Development East Central BOCES Friends' School Metropolitan State University Metropolitan State University: Special education Mountain BOCES Northeast BOCES Public Education & Business Coalition: Boettcher Teacher Residency Pikes Peak BOCES San Luis Valley BOCES Southeastern BOCES Stanley British Primary School University of Colorado Denver: ASPIRE University of Colorado Colorado Springs West Central Licensing Program Western State Colorado University
In total, 3,277 individuals completed educator preparation programs at either institutions of higher education or through Alternative Certification programs in the 2013-14 academic year. The licensure area with the most completers was elementary education with 1,112 completers (33.9% of all completers). Completers in high- need areas, as defined by a demonstrated history of limited numbers of licensed educators in specific fields, include math (170 completers), science (165) and early childhood education (146). A list of institution of higher education program completers for the 2013-14 academic year is included in Table 2, while Table 3 lists the program completers from alternative teacher preparation programs.
Table 2: IHE Educator Preparation Program Completers by Endorsement/Licensure Areas
Endorsement/Licensure Area AY 13-14 Completers Completers by Institution Administrator 10 UCD 9; UNC 1 Agriculture and Renewable Natural Resources 9 CSU 9
6 CCU 1; CC 1; CMU 2; CSU 8; CSUP 4; Art (K-12) 83 MSUD 15; RU 1; RMCAD 20; DU 8; UNC 20; WSCU 3 Business and Marketing Education 2 UP 2 CSU 3; RU 2; Business Education 6 WSCU 1 CLDE Specialist: Bilingual Education 1 UNC 1 Culturally and Linguistically Diverse FLC 14; JIU 1; MSUD 22; RU 29; UCB 32; 213 Education UCCS 3; UCD 47; UNC 65 Drama 9 UNC 9 Early Childhood Education 103 CCU 8; CSU 35; MSUD 18; RU 4; UNC 38 ECE Special Education 18 RU 7; UNC 11 ECE Special Education: Specialist 35 RU 2; UCD 22; UNC 11 ASU 5; CCU 36; CC 10; CMU 32; CSUP 47; FLC 26; JIU 9; MSUD 136; RU 71; UCB 55; Elementary Education 905 UCCS 28; UCD 54; DU 47; UNC 296; UP 20; WSCU 33 CCU 8; CC 3; CMU 5; CSU 31; CSUP 10; FLC 5; JIU 1; MSUD 40; RU 7; UCB 28; English Language Arts 191 UCCS 9; UCD 13; DU 10; UNC 12; UP 3; WSCU 6 Family and Consumer Studies 3 CSU 2; CSUP 1 CMU 1; CSU 8; CSUP 3; FLC 1; JIU 1; Foreign Language 36 MSUD 6; UCB 3; UCCS 1; UCD 2; DU 1; UNC 8; WSCU 1 RU 1; UCCS 2; Gifted Education Specialist 10 UNC 7 Instructional Technology Specialist 8 CSUP 4; UCD 4 CCU 1; CSUP 3; Instructional Technology Teacher 5 UCD 1 Marketing 1 CSU 1 ASU 1; CCU 2; CC 2; CMU 5; CSU 18; CSUP Mathematics 105 9; FLC 1; MSUD 14; RU 5; UCB 11; UCCS 4; UCD 9; DU 3; UNC 17; UP 1; WSCU 3 ASU 3; CCU 1; CC 1; CMU 3; CSU 19; CSUP Music (K-12) 118 5; FLC 4; MSUD 19; UCB 19; DU 6; UNC 37; WSCU 1 ASU 2; CCU 1; CMU 9; CSUP 18; FLC 1; Physical Education 71 MSUD 16; UNC 21; WSCU 3 CMU 7; JIU 2; RU 49; UCCS 3; UCD 35; DU Principal 277 89; UNC 54; UP 28; WSCU 12 Reading Specialist 27 RU 24; UCCS 1; WSCU 2 Reading Teacher 39 RU 3; UCB 12; UCD 23; WSCU 1 School Librarian 5 UCD 5 CC 2; CMU 3; CSU 24; CSUP 2; FLC 1; Science 124 MSUD 11; RU 8; UCB 12; UCCS 12; UCD 10; DU 11; UNC 20; UP 5; WSCU 3 ASU 3; CCU 3; CC 1; CMU 6; CSU 33; CSUP Social Studies 193 4; MSUD 39; RU 6; UCB 6; UCCS 14; UCD 16; DU 10; UNC 27; UP 18; WSCU 7 Special Education Director 8 UNC 8
7 CCU 8; CMU 2; CSUP 11; MSUD 48; RU 9; Special Education Generalist 203 UCB 1; UCCS 16; UCD 17; UNC 76; WSCU 15 Special Education Specialist: General 1 RU 1 Special Education Specialist: Deaf/Hard of 4 UNC 4 Hearing Special Education Specialist: Visually 2 UNC 2 Impaired Speech 2 RU 2 Teacher Librarian (requires 1 or more years of 5 UCD 5 teaching experience) Technology Education (previously Industrial 5 CSU 4; RU 1 Arts) Undeclared or Unknown 2 JIU 2 Grand Total 2704
8 Table 3: Alternative Educator Preparation Program Unduplicated Completers by Endorsement/Licensure Areas
Designated agency # of completers Licensure Area Elem. 6; ECE 4; Art 2; Math 2; Archdiocese of Denver 18 Foreign Language 2; Music 1; Science 1 Boulder Journey School 26 ECE 26 Elem. 6; Math 4; PE 2; Foreign Language 2; Centennial BOCES 19 Business 1; ECE 1; English 1; Library 1; Science 1 Special Education 7; Elem. 5; ECE 4; English 3; Colorado Christian University 25 Math 2; Art 1; Technology 1; PE 1; Social Studies 1 Colorado State University Pueblo 7 Special Ed. 4; Math 2; Science 1 Denver Public Schools: Denver Teach Today 9 Special Ed. 6; Elem. 3 Elem. 38; Math 11; Special Education 10; Denver Public Schools: Denver Teacher Residency 68 Science 8; Other 1 Elem. 3; Special Ed. 3; Drama 1; Health 1; Douglas County School District 10 Technology 1; Music 1 Eagle Rock School and Professional Development 3 Math 1; PE 1; Science 1 East Central BOCES 7 Elem. 2; Science 2; Art 1; English 1; Music 1 Friends' School 31 ECE 2; Elem. 29 Elem. 9; English 2; Technology 2; Music 2; Metropolitan State University 20 Foreign Language 2; Math 1; PE 1; Social Studies 1
Metropolitan State University: Special Education 27 Special Education 27 Elem. 10; Math 4; English 2; Art 1; Business 1; Mountain BOCES 20 Technology 1; PE 1 Agriculture 1; ECE 1; English 1; Math 1; Northeast BOCES 5 Science 1 Public Education & Business Coalition: Boettcher Elem. 14; Math 4; English 3; Science 3; PE 1; 26 Teacher Residency Social Studies 1 Elem. 8; Math 4; Special Education 4; Art 3; Pikes Peak BOCES 30 English 3; PE 2; Science 2; Foreign Language 2; Music 1; Social Studies 1 San Luis Valley BOCES 6 Math 2; Art 1; Elem. 1; English 1; Science 1 Social Studies 3; English 2; Science 2; Art 1; Southeastern BOCES 10 Math 1; PE 1 Stanley British Primary School 38 Elem. 33; ECE 5 Elem. 37; English 27; Math 21; Special Education 20; Science 15; University of Colorado Denver: ASPIRE 139 Social Studies 6; Foreign Language 6; PE 2; Agriculture 1; Art 1; Business 1; Drama 1; Other 1 English 7; Math 2; Science 2; Social Studies 2; University of Colorado - Colorado Springs 15 Foreign Language 2 West Central Licensing Program 4 Elem. 3; English 1 Special Ed. 4; English 2; Math 2; Western State Colorado University 10 Foreign Language 1; Science 1 Total 573
9 Completer Analysis and Trends
Comparative data from previous years of completers of the alternative educator preparation programs is not currently available, but historical data derived from completers at institutions of higher education does provide an avenue of contextual analysis regarding the trends of the number of educators being prepared in Colorado. For the fourth consecutive year, the total number of educator preparation completers from Colorado institutions of higher education has declined. Since the 2011-12 academic year, the total number of completers has declined 17.4% (see Figure Two).
Completers - IHE's Educator Preparation 3400
3200 3274 3000 3078 2800 2858 2704 2600 Total 2400 2200 2000 AY 2011-12 AY 2011-12 AY 2012-13 AY 2013-14
Figure 2 – Colorado IHE Completers 2011-2014
This trend mirrors national patterns, as the total number of educator preparation program completers continues to decline throughout the United States (USDOE, 2013).
Specific teaching and administrative areas show some fluidity in terms of the numbers of completers in Colorado during the last three years. Elementary education remains the most popular endorsement area (34.5%) and the total numbers of completers in other endorsement areas continue to fluctuate. Significant numbers of educators continue to complete programs leading to principal licensure (277 in the 2013-14 AY) and 213 already-licensed educators or candidates in other programs added culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) endorsements. Relatively low numbers of completers can be found in world language (36), math (105), science (124) and early childhood education (103) – all of which continue to be areas of high demand for school districts due to the limited number of licensed educators in these fields. Figure 4 highlights this variance.
10 IHE Completers by Academic Area 1000
900
800
700
600
500 AY 2011-12 400 AY 2012-13
300 AY 2013-14
200
100
0
Figure 4 - IHE Completers by Area (minimum 30 completers in 2013-14 AY)
III. Enrollment
Enrollment in Colorado institutions of higher education-based educator preparation programs declined by 7.5% in the 2013-14 academic year, continuing a trend of decreased enrollments annually since 2011. Table 4 provides both cumulative enrollment figures and individual enrollments for the 18 institutions that included at least one program completer during the 2013-14 academic year.
11 Table 4: Program Enrollments by Institution, 2010-14
Change 2013- Institution 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2014 Adams State University1 486 473 378 314 246 -21.7% Colorado Christian University 227 245 214 209 195 -6.7% Colorado College 62 59 55 42 43 +2.4% Colorado Mesa University 364 219 257 260 200 -23.1% Colorado State University 772 879 795 576 868 +50.7% Colorado State University - Pueblo 387 411 367 325 280 -13.9% Fort Lewis College 219 227 180 170 180 +5.9% Jones International University 121 125 135 79 44 -44.3% Metropolitan State University of Denver2 1868 1931 2001 1913 1770 -7.5% Regis University4 907 1139 732 869 706 -18.8% Rocky Mtn. Coll. Art & Design 55 59 47 40 20 -50.0% University of Colorado Boulder 871 694 823 786 712 -9.4% University of Colorado Colorado Springs 426 351 458 713 655 -8.1% University of Colorado Denver 1339 1255 990 866 864 -0.2% University of Denver5 174 213 329 350 239 -31.7% University of Northern Colorado 3770 3986 3689 3498 3222 -7.9% University of Phoenix3 782 746 431 289 195 -32.5% Western State Colorado University 140 111 122 88 98 +11.4% Grand Total 12950 13103 11987 11387 10537 -7.5%
12013 data includes students enrolled as part of the Colorado Boettcher Teacher Residency Program. 22013 enrollment data includes student enrollment within the post-baccalaureate ALP program. 3University of Phoenix did not report all Elementary Education enrollees in 2009. 42013 enrollment data includes students within the post-baccalaureate archdiocese education program. 5Universtiy of Denver 2013 enrollment data includes students enrolled as part of the Denver Teacher Residency Program.
Institution of Higher Education–Based Undergraduate, Post-Baccalaureate, and Graduate Enrollments
While some institutions focus on the undergraduate population, other colleges/universities offer post- baccalaureate and graduate entry points into the education professions. This varied approach is beneficial to both the institutions and the student population, as it provides multiple avenues towards teacher licensure and a career in education. A list of the enrollments at the various levels for each institution is listed in Table 5.
12 Table 5: Program Enrollments for all Endorsement/Licensure Areas by Level by Institution, 2013-14
Grand Institution Undergraduate Post-Baccalaureate Graduate Total Adams State University 149 31 66 246 Colorado Christian University 173 22 -- 195 Colorado College 4 -- 39 43 Colorado Mesa University 138 9 54 200 Colorado State University 638 212 18 868 Colorado State University - Pueblo 194 49 40 280 Fort Lewis College 153 29 -- 180 Jones International University -- -- 44 44 Metropolitan State University of Denver 1213 357 221 1770 Regis University 219 27 460 706 Rocky Mtn. Coll. Art & Design 20 -- -- 20 University of Colorado Boulder 373 94 255 712 University of Colorado Colorado Springs 417 -- 238 655 University of Colorado Denver 74 35 755 864 University of Denver -- -- 239 239 University of Northern Colorado 2445 54 729 3222 University of Phoenix 72 -- 123 195 Western State Colorado University 20 -- 78 98 Grand Total 6301 884 3363 10521 % Grand Total 59.99% 8.42% 32.02%
Institution of Higher Education–Based Enrollment by Licensure/Endorsement Area over the Last Five Years
Changes in the enrollment population in the various license and endorsement areas continue to have an impact on Colorado’s education environment. In nearly all areas where enrollments exceed 100 students during the 2013-14 academic year, there has been a decline in the number of students enrolled in specific areas. This is most dramatically seen in the areas of culturally and linguistically diverse education (reduction of 182 students), elementary education (-279), social studies (-109) and special education specialist endorsements (-109). In contrast, some progress has been made in traditional areas of high demand including science (+12), technology education (+12) and principal licensure programs (+57). Total numbers of students segregated by endorsement area shows similar total numbers as previous years, indicating that some students are enrolled in multiple licensure/endorsement programs simultaneously. Table 6 includes all endorsement and licensure areas with their corresponding enrollments.
13 Table 6: Institution of Higher Education-Based Programs Enrollments by Endorsement/Licensure Areas, 2010-20141
Change Endorsement/Licensure Area 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2013-2014 Administrator 61 53 20 25 29 +16.0% Agriculture and Renewable Natural Resources 18 24 25 29 53 +82.8% Art (K-12) 389 402 382 338 289 -14.5% Business and Marketing Education 34 15 8 1 4 +300.0% Business Education 30 28 16 21 17 -19.0% CLDE Specialist: Bilingual Education 42 34 36 21 4 -81.0% Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education 1204 1165 1091 1152 970 -15.8% Drama 72 59 63 59 70 +18.6% Early Childhood Education 537 662 659 576 590 +2.4% ECE Special Education 91 114 99 106 85 -19.8% ECE Special Education: Specialist 180 198 179 210 191 -9.0% Elementary Education 4213 4072 3801 3533 3254 -7.9% English Language Arts 931 1001 778 771 726 -5.8% Family and Consumer Studies 34 45 28 23 31 -34.8% Foreign Language 222 234 228 180 169 -6.1% Gifted Education Specialist 59 51 46 35 31 -24% Instructional Technology Specialist 26 20 35 36 30 -16.7% Instructional Technology Teacher 28 50 52 26 23 -50% Marketing Education ------1 -- Mathematics 470 505 424 449 428 -4.7% Music (K-12) 430 511 578 571 572 +0.1% Physical Education 398 371 337 281 245 -12.8% Principal 926 768 858 762 819 +7.5% Reading Specialist -- 21 59 90 61 -32.2% Reading Teacher 252 221 170 165 149 -9.7% School Librarian 96 144 34 18 11 -38.9% Science 536 539 498 470 482 +2.6% Social Studies 973 1189 978 859 750 -12.7% Special Education Director 53 58 46 44 44 -- Special Education Generalist 1342 1379 1187 1203 1094 -9.1% Special Education Specialist 8 8 3 1 4 +300.0% Special Education Specialist: Deaf/Hard of Hearing 36 39 24 22 16 -27.3% Special Education Specialist: Visually Impaired 51 40 7 7 8 +14.3% Speech 10 22 22 14 9 -35.7% Teacher Librarian (requires 1 or more years of teaching experience) 71 51 29 14 9 -35.7% Technology Education (previously Industrial Arts) 4 4 7 9 21 +57.1% Undeclared or Unknown 13 13 1 19 3 -84.2% Grand Total 12950 13103 11987 11227 11292 0.6% 1Enrollment numbers include students enrolled in more than one endorsement/licensure area during the 2013-14 academic year
14 IV. Demographics
The students enrolled in educator preparation programs continue to show stability in terms of age dispersion, ethnicity and gender throughout the state of Colorado. In general, Colorado’s emerging teaching and educational administrative work force tends to be young, female and white/non-Hispanic. One important factor to note, however, is that this demographic data only includes those students enrolled in educator preparation programs at colleges/universities within the state of Colorado. Demographic data from the alternative certification and licensure programs is not available, and not included.
Gender
As seen in Table 7, more than three-quarters (75.65%) of all students enrolled in an educator preparation program are female. As a percentage, the number of male teachers has increased during the last five years, but the increase has been minimal and, when evaluated with the decrease in the total numbers of students enrolled in educator preparation programs, reflects a decrease of 78 male teachers from the previous academic year. A complete breakdown of the gender demographics with students enrolled in educator preparation programs is shown in table six.
Table 7: Institution of Higher Education-Based Educator Preparation Program Enrollments For All Endorsement/Licensure Areas by Gender, 2009-2014
Gender 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Female 8418 9852 9992 9143 8613 7946 76.10% 76.08% 76.26% 76.27% 76.72% 75.65% Male 2639 3087 3103 2828 2601 2523 23.86% 23.84% 23.68% 23.59% 23.17% 24.02% Unknown 8 13 12 23 14 35 0.07% 0.10% 0.09% 0.19% 0.12% 0.33% Grand Total 11062 12950 13103 11987 11227 10504
Ethnicity
Ethnic diversity among candidates remained static during the 2013-14 academic year. While there was a minor increase in the numbers of students identifying as multi-racial (non-Hispanic), the majority of the candidates self-identified as white (non-Hispanic). Table 8 provides additional detail regarding the race and ethnicities of candidates.
15 Table 8: Institution of Higher Education-Based Educator Preparation Program Enrollments For All Endorsement/Licensure Areas by Race and Ethnicity, 2011-2014
Federal Race and Ethnicity Categories 2011 2012 2013 2014 Percentage 2014 Asian 204 189 164 160 1.52% Black or African American, non-Hispanic 266 253 224 204 1.94% Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 13 16 12 12 0.11% Hispanic1 1261 1315 1329 1218 11.60% Native American or Alaskan Native 116 106 92 74 7.05% Unknown Ethnicity 1727 1395 1279 1001 9.53% White, non-Hispanic 9384 8538 7924 7575 72.12% More than one race/ethnicity (non-Hispanic) 128 180 207 227 2.16% Non-Resident Alien 24 30 35 33 0.31% Grand Total 13103 11987 11227 10504
1 Under the new federal categories, “Hispanic” is prioritized over other categories. That is, if an individual claims “Hispanic” ethnicity, they cannot claim any other category. That is why “More than one race or ethnicity” is for non-Hispanics only.
Age
The majority (78.2%) of candidates are under the age of 35. This pattern has been consistent since 2009. Inclusion of demographic data from alternative licensure programs would likely result in an increase in the numbers of students in the 35+ stratum, but this data is not currently available. Table 9 provides detail regarding the age of students enrolled in educator preparation programs in Colorado during the 2013-14 academic year.
Table 9: Institution of Higher Education-Based Educator Preparation Program Enrollments For All Endorsement/Licensure Areas by Age, 2009-2014
Age 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 24 years or younger 5087 5487 5887 5732 5441 4989 45.99% 42.37% 44.93% 47.82% 48.46% 47.50% 25-34 years 3513 4358 4283 3803 3499 3269 31.76% 33.65% 32.69% 31.73% 31.17% 31.12% 35+ years 2638 3323 3163 2631 2465 2246 23.85% 25.66% 24.14% 21.95% 21.96% 21.38% Grand Total 11062 12950 13103 11987 11227 10504
Note: Some students are in more than one age bracket because they had birthdays at some point during the academic year that moved them from one age bracket to the next. The Grand Total, however, reflects the number of unduplicated students.
The age demographics of educator preparation differ from the total population of students enrolled at four-year institutions, as they tend to be older. For students in all programs within Colorado four-year colleges and universities, 89.22% (140,212 of 155,407) of students are under 35 years of age, compared to 78.62% in
16 educator preparation. Further, educator preparation is comprised of 31.12% of students in the 25-34 age group, a number approximately 10% higher than the general population of 25-34 year old students enrolled in four year institutions (21.79%) in Colorado.
V. Reauthorization and Programmatic Approval
A central commitment of the collaboration between CDE and DHE is to provide structured feedback to the various IHE’s involved in educator preparation through the process of reauthorization. As stipulated in 23-1-121(4)(a)(I),C.R.S., the Colorado Commission on Higher Education and DHE, in conjunction with the State Board of Education and CDE, are required to review all educator preparation programs not more frequently than once every five years to ensure the programs meet the statutory requirements for reauthorization.
In addition to on-campus reauthorization site visits, both CDE and DHE review all new proposals related to educator preparation submitted by institutions. Upon successful review by CDE and DHE staff, individual program proposals are submitted for approval by both the State Board of Education and the Colorado Commission on Higher Education.
Reauthorization
During the 2014 calendar year, the following institutions underwent educator preparation reauthorization review: Jones International University Fort Lewis College University of Colorado Colorado Springs
In all instances, review teams are comprised of academic experts in the field of educator preparation, individuals familiar with k-20 education within the state of Colorado and, when possible, a local k-12 practitioner from a partner district associated with the institutions being reviewed. Each reauthorization visit coincided with accreditation visits from national accreditation agencies to reduce or eliminate duplicative reporting.
Programmatic Approval
During the 2014 calendar year, the following new programs were approved:
Administrator Educator Preparation Program at Adams State University Principal Licensure at Colorado State University - Global Campus Reading Teacher and Reading Specialist Endorsements at Colorado College Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education Endorsement at Colorado Mesa University School Social Worker Endorsement at Metropolitan State University of Denver
17 VI. Areas of Focus and Recommendations
In 2015, DHE and CDE will embark on various initiatives designed to support educator preparation programs and educators throughout Colorado. These initiatives center on: modifying and aligning licensure rules and processes within CDE, enhancing the teacher pipeline in rural regions of the state and supporting existing initiatives such as concurrent enrollment and educator effectiveness.
Areas of Focus
The Professional Services and Educator Licensing division of CDE began the task of analyzing and aligning the current rules established with licensure in 2014. Through collecting and analyzing stakeholder feedback and public commentary, the division is progressing with potential modifications that will result in a more streamlined licensing experience for both new and existing educators. This process will continue through 2015 with possible conclusion in 2016.
Supporting the recruitment and retention of educators within rural school districts in Colorado will be an area of focus for the Student Success and Academic Affairs division of DHE in 2015. Through strategic collaboration with local organizations (e.g., BOCES and CASPA), educator preparation stakeholders will develop strategies to connect emerging educators to rural districts around the state. It is hoped that stronger pipelines connecting educators and these rural districts will result in a more robust and stable educator workforce in all regions of the state.
Concurrent enrollment programs, college courses that allow high school students to earn both high school and college course credit simultaneously, currently exist within 95% of all school districts in Colorado. Yet, the number of high school teachers who meet the academic requirements to teach concurrent enrollment (usually a master’s degree in the discipline being taught) remains limited. To increase the number of teachers qualified to teach concurrent enrollment courses, DHE is currently engaged in securing external funding to support the development of these educators through collaboration with the Concurrent Enrollment Advisory Board at CDE.
Recommendations
Continued collaboration and communication with school district leadership, including Human Resource Directors, should be continued to ensure alignment between educator preparation programs and the needs of local districts. IHE programmatic modification should continue to be reviewed by both CDE and DHE to align with national trends regarding outcome-based assessments, multi-disciplinary curriculum design and instruction and adherence to district needs regarding endorsement in high-need areas.
References:
Colorado Department of Higher Education (2014). Annual Report on Concurrent Enrollment. CDHE: Denver, CO. Colorado Department of Higher Education (2015). Legislative Report On The Skills for Jobs Act. CDHE: Denver, CO. United States Department of Education (2013). Title II Report. USDOE: Washington, DC.
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